JP2005235473A - Relay connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a relay connector having a compact structure, and facilitating attachment and detachment of a lead wire, and connection length adjustment of the lead wire. <P>SOLUTION: This relay connector for lead wire connection is provided with: a terminal housing part with an elastic connection terminal to the lead wire housed in a connector housing of the relay connector; a lead wire insertion hole for inserting the lead wire therein; and an attachment/detachment locking means of the inserted and connected lead wire. The attachment/detachment locking means of the lead wire is composed of: a ring-shaped coming-off preventing spring member having an elastic claw part elastically deforming along the insertion direction of the wire in its inside; and a pressing member for pressing the elastic claw part in the lead wire insertion direction and for releasing the lock of the lead wire. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a relay connector for detachably connecting a lead wire.

A conventional relay connector is generally of a type in which a plug 111 and a socket 112 are fitted as shown in FIG.
Terminals 121 and contacts 122 to which the lead wires 101 are respectively crimped are housed in casings 111a and 112a made of an insulator, respectively, and are filled with a resin 160 and fixed.
In this case, the lead wire is relay-connected by fitting the plug 111 and the socket 112 together.
However, in such a structure in which the lead wire is crimped to the terminal, filled with resin and integrally molded, for example, when used as a relay connector between facilities, it is not possible to assemble the field, so it is necessary to attach it to the facility in advance. is there.
Therefore, there are drawbacks such as inability to freely change to parallel connection or series connection when changing equipment.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-317825, a locking piece is provided in a housing, a cable is clamped by this locking piece and connected to a terminal block, and the locking piece is pressed by pressing a release button to connect the cable to the terminal. A technique for removing from a table is disclosed.
However, the technology disclosed in the above publication has a terminal block structure, and the insertion hole for the cable and the insertion hole for the release button are formed separately, and thus the housing must be enlarged.

JP 2003-317825 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above technical problems, and an object thereof is to provide a relay connector that has a compact structure, can be easily attached and detached, and can easily adjust the connection length of the lead wire in the field.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lead wire connecting relay connector, a terminal housing portion housing an elastic connection terminal with a lead wire in a connector housing of the relay connector, and a lead wire into which the lead wire is inserted. A ring-shaped retainer that includes an insertion hole and an attaching / detaching locking means for the inserted and connected lead wire, and in which the attaching / detaching locking means for the lead wire elastically deforms along the insertion direction of the lead wire inside This is a point provided with a spring member and a pressing member that presses the elastic claw portion in the lead wire insertion direction to release the lock of the lead wire.

When forming the lead wire insertion hole at the end of the connector housing of the relay connector, the lead wire insertion hole opening is formed at the opening of the hole, and the lead wire covering portion accommodating portion is formed near the opening. Is good.
A lead hole is formed in the lead wire covering portion storage portion on the lead wire insertion direction side, and the terminal storage portion is electrically connected to the leaf spring-like contact portion and facing the contact portion. It is preferable to arrange an elastic connection terminal provided with a portion.
The lead wire covering portion storage portion is provided with a lead wire attaching / detaching locking means comprising a retaining spring member and a pushing member, so that the lead wire is latched by the retaining spring member and this is pushed by the pushing member. The lock can be released.

The technical gist of the invention described in claim 2 is that a plurality of lead wire insertion holes are formed in the connector housing of the relay connector, and the lead wires inserted into the respective lead wire insertion holes are connected in series via the elastic connection terminals. It is a point that can be connected in parallel.
By providing a plurality of lead wire insertion holes and bringing the conductive portions of the respective elastic connection terminals into a connected state, they can be connected in series or in parallel simply by inserting the lead wires into the connector.

  The technical gist of the invention described in claim 3 is that the tip of the elastic claw portion of the ring-shaped retaining spring member is arranged concentrically with respect to the center axis of the ring shape so as to bite into the outer periphery of the covering portion of the lead wire. It is a point to stop.

  Examples of the structure of the retaining spring member include a ring-shaped flat plate-shaped annular portion, and an elastic claw portion that extends in an inward direction from the inner edge of the annular portion and is inclined toward the lead wire insertion direction. The annular portion is attached to the connector housing so as to be coaxial with the central axis of the lead wire insertion hole.

  The technical gist of the invention described in claim 4 is that the push-in member is formed of a cylindrical tube body, and one end of the tube body is slid in the central axis direction so that the elastic claw portion of the spring member for retaining is prevented. The point of pressing is to release the locking of the lead wire.

Thereby, the elastic claw part spreads in the outer peripheral direction only by slidingly pressing the pushing member along the lead wire insertion direction, and the locking of the lead wire can be released.
Providing a flange that becomes a flange on the pressing operation portion side of the cylindrical body of the pressing member facilitates pressing by hand.

  The technical gist of the invention described in claim 5 is that the center axis of the ring-shaped retaining spring member and the center axis of the pushing member are coaxially arranged with respect to the center axis of the lead wire insertion hole. It is a point.

A cylindrical pushing member is arranged so that the central axis is coaxial with the retaining spring member, and the diameter of the pushing member with respect to the central axis is substantially matched with the diameter of the elastic claw portion.
Thereby, the edge part of a cylindrical pushing member can be made to act equally with respect to the elastic nail | claw part arrange | positioned concentrically with the spring member for retaining.

  A restricting portion that is raised so as to be substantially annular over the outer periphery of the cylindrical body of the pushing member is disposed, and an inner peripheral protrusion is provided in a substantially ring shape on the inner periphery in the vicinity of the opening of the lead wire insertion hole. If the structure is fitted into the lead wire insertion opening from the restricting portion side, the push member and the like are elastically deformed and press-fitted when assembled into the connector housing. The inner circumferential protrusion of the line insertion opening can interfere to prevent the pushing member from coming off.

The relationship between the lead wire insertion hole, the hole of the retaining spring member and the hole of the pushing member is such that the inner diameter of the pushing member cylindrical body is larger than the outer diameter of the covering portion of the lead wire and the elastic claw of the retaining spring member The tip of the part is larger than the inscribed circle diameter.
The tip inscribed circle diameter of the elastic claw portion of the spring member for retaining is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the covering portion of the lead wire connected to the connector.

The length of the elastic claw is such that when the lead wire is inserted through the hole of the push-in member, the elastic claw is deformed and the tip of the elastic claw is inserted into the outside of the sheath of the lead wire. can do.
With this biting shape, if the lead wire is pulled out by inclining the tip end portion of the elastic claw portion in the terminal side direction, the tip portion is less likely to be covered with the outermost shell covering portion, and the lead wire is further less likely to come off.
As a result, when the lead wire coating is peeled to a predetermined length to expose the core wire and inserted from the hole of the pushing member, the lead wire coating is locked to the elastic claw portions arranged evenly in the circumferential direction. Reaches the terminal storage portion and is inserted between the spring-like contact portion and the conductive member to be in a conductive state.

On the other hand, the lead wire is removed by releasing the locking state of the elastic claw portion.
When the pushing member is pushed toward the terminal side, the end of the pushing member arranged to face the elastic claw portion is pushed toward the terminal side and the elastic claw portion is pushed.
As a result, the elastic claw portion is further elastically deformed toward the terminal side, so that the tip end of the elastic claw portion widens and comes off from the covering portion of the lead wire, thereby releasing the lock of the lead wire.
That is, by pushing the pushing member, the locked state of the lead wire can be released, and the lead wire can be easily removed.

  In the present invention, the pressing member and the retaining spring member are provided in the vicinity of the opening of the lead wire insertion hole, and the elastic connection terminal is disposed at the back of the lead wire insertion hole. It becomes a compact lead wire relay connector that can be easily connected and removed.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a lead wire connection relay connector according to the present invention.
1A is a side view of the relay connector, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view.
In the example of the relay connector shown in FIG. 1, lead wire insertion holes are formed on both sides of the connector housing, and the lead wires are detachable from both sides, but one lead wire is connected and fixed in advance to the terminal, Only the other lead wire may be detachable.

As shown in FIG. 1 (b), a lead wire insertion hole 12 is provided in the connector housing 11 of the relay connector 10, and the terminal 20, the rubber bush 60, and the ring shape are arranged in order from the back side in the lead wire insertion hole 12. The spring member 30 for retaining the ring, the ring-shaped locking member 50, and the pushing member 40 are disposed.
In the vicinity of the opening of the lead wire insertion hole 12, a lead wire covering portion storage portion 12a is formed.
A through hole 12c having an inner diameter smaller than that of the lead wire insertion hole 12 is formed on the lead wire insertion direction side of the lead wire covering portion storage portion 12a and communicates with the terminal storage portion 12b.
The terminal storage portion 12 b is provided with a spring-like contact portion 22 and a terminal 20 in which a conduction portion 21 is disposed so as to face the contact portion 22.

FIG. 2A shows an exploded view of the vicinity of the lead wire covering portion storage portion of the connector, and FIG. 2B shows a sectional end view of the vicinity of the lead wire covering portion storage portion.
A lead wire covering portion accommodating portion 12a of a lead wire insertion hole is formed in an open state at an end portion of the substantially cylindrical connector housing 11, and a step portion 12d is formed in a step shape at the edge of the opening portion. Yes. A rubber bush 60, a retaining spring member 30, a ring-shaped locking member 50, and a pushing member 40 are fitted into the lead wire covering portion storage portion 12a in this order.
The rubber bush 60 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is disposed on the inner periphery of the lead wire covering portion storage portion 12a.
The retaining spring member 30 is shown in FIG. 3 (a), and FIG. 3 (b) is a sectional view taken along the line aa.
The retaining spring member 30 includes a substantially ring-shaped annular portion 31 and an elastic claw portion 32 extending in a piece shape from the inner edge portion 31a of the annular portion toward the central axis 31b of the annular portion.
The elastic claw portion 32 is disposed so that the tip 32 a is concentric with the central axis 31 b of the annular portion 31.
As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the retaining spring member 30 has an annular portion 31 sandwiched between the stepped portion 12d on the inner periphery of the lead wire covering portion storage portion 12a and the ring-shaped locking member 50 and the stepped portion 12d. In this way, it is mounted in the lead wire covering portion storage portion 12a.
Here, the ring-shaped locking member 50 is for fixing the retaining spring member. As shown in the example shown in FIG. 2, the retaining member 50 may be press-fitted into the connector housing and fixed. Further, it may be screwed, or the retaining spring member may be integrally formed in the casing at the time of injection molding without providing the ring-shaped locking member.
Here, the retaining spring member has a cross-sectional end surface taken along the line aa.
The pushing member 40 is provided with a flange 42 on the cylindrical tube 41 so as to be a flange.
An inclined portion 41d is provided at the end of the cylindrical body opposite to the flange 42 so as to converge inward.
A pressing member restricting portion 41a raised from the surface of the cylindrical body is formed in an annular shape on the outer periphery of the cylindrical body on the side of the flange portion 42 of the inclined portion 41d.
The ring-shaped locking member 50 is ring-shaped, and the cylindrical body 41 of the pushing member 40 is inserted into the hole 50a.
An inner peripheral protrusion 50c that restricts the restricting portion 41a of the pushing member 40 is formed on the inner periphery of the hole 50a.
The pushing member 40 is attached to the lead wire covering portion storage portion 12a so as to be slidable between the pushing member restricting portion 41a and the flange portion 42.

2A and 2B, the central shaft 41b of the cylindrical body 41 of the pushing member 40, the central shaft 50b of the ring-shaped locking member 50, and the annular portion 31 of the retaining spring member 30 The central shaft 31b and the central shaft of the rubber bush 60 are incorporated in the lead wire covering portion storage portion 12a of the relay connector so as to be coaxial.
The outer diameter of the cylindrical body 41 of the pushing member 40 is smaller than the inner diameter of the annular portion 31 of the retaining spring member 30 at the inclined portion 41d, and the terminal side end portion 41c of the cylindrical body 41 is the elastic claw portion 32 in the mounted state. It is arranged to face.
On the other hand, the inner diameter B of the cylinder 41 is set slightly larger than the outer diameter A of the covering portion 3 of the lead wire 1 connected to the connector 10.
And the diameter C of the front-end | tip position of the elastic nail | claw part of the spring member for retaining | loosening is set so that it may become slightly smaller than the outer diameter A of the coating | coated part 3 of this lead wire.
By setting such a size, when the cylindrical body 41 of the push-in member 40 is slid and moved to the back side of the lead wire covering portion storage portion 12a in the central axis direction, the end portion 41c on the terminal side of the cylindrical body 41 comes off. It comes into contact with the elastic claw portion 32 of the stopping spring member 30.
When the lead wire 1 is inserted from the hole 40a of the push-in member 40, the lead wire is inserted while the outermost shell covering portion 3 acts to push the elastic claw portion 32 slightly.

FIG. 4 shows a state where the lead wire is attached.
The length of the core wire 2 of the lead wire 1 is the length from the through hole 12c portion to a position beyond the spring-like contact portion 22.
The length of the inner covering portion 4 that peels and exposes the outermost shell covering portion 3 is a length that reaches from the terminal side end portion 3a of the outermost shell covering portion 3 to the inside of the through hole 12c.
The outermost shell covering portion 3 is inserted so that the end portion 3 a abuts against the inclined surface 61 a of the fin portion 61 of the rubber bush 60.
The elastic claw 32 of the retaining spring member 30 is inserted into the outermost shell covering portion 3 while being inclined in the lead wire insertion direction to lock the lead wire 1.
A description will be given of the locking structure by the insertion of the lead wire 1 and the spring member 30 for retaining.
FIG. 5A shows a state before the lead wire 1 is inserted into the relay connector 10.
The lead wire 1 passes through the hole 40a of the pushing member 40 with the core wire 2 first, passes between the elastic claws 32 of the spring member 30 for retaining, and passes the hole of the rubber bush 60.
A perspective view of the state of the pushing member and the retaining spring member before inserting the lead wire is shown in FIG.
The terminal side end portion 41c of the pushing member 40 is in a state of facing the elastic claw portion 32 of the retaining spring member 30.

FIG. 6 (a) shows a state in which the lead wire is attached to the connector, and FIG. 6 (b) shows a perspective view of the pushing member 40, the retaining spring member 30 and the lead wire 1 at this time.
The outermost shell covering portion 3 of the lead wire 1 passes between the elastic claw portions 32 and enters the hole 60a of the rubber bush 60, and comes into contact with the inclined surface 61a toward the terminal side of the fin portion 61 on the inner periphery of the rubber bush. Yes.
A fin portion 61 of the rubber bush 60 is in contact with the inner covering portion 4.
In the lead wire 1, the core wire 2 portion is inserted between the spring-like contact portion 22 and the conduction portion 21 of the terminal 20 and fixed in contact therewith.
The conducting portion 21 forms an outer frame in the circumferential direction of the terminal 20 and is connected to other terminals to conduct between the terminals.
As a result, the terminals 20 corresponding to the lead wire insertion holes 12 at both ends in FIG. 1B are electrically connected, and the lead wires can be relayed by inserting the lead wires into the relay connector 10 from both ends.
When the lead wire 1 is inserted, the distal end portion 32 a of the elastic claw portion 32 hits the outermost shell covering portion 3, and elastically deforms slightly outward toward the terminal 20 side by insertion of the lead wire 1, and is placed on the outermost shell covering portion 3. It is in a state of being put up, and its tip is inserted into the outermost shell covering part 3 evenly in the circumferential direction.
The angle at which the elastic claw 32 is inserted is that the tip 32a of the elastic claw 32 is inclined in the terminal 20 side direction. Since the tip end portion 32a is evenly inserted into the outermost shell covering portion 3 in the circumferential direction, the lead wire 1 is prevented from coming off in a balanced manner in the circumferential direction.

On the other hand, the lead wire 1 is removed by releasing the locking state of the elastic claw portion 32.
As shown in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b), when the flange portion 42 of the pushing member 40 is pushed toward the terminal side, the end portion of the pushing member 40 arranged to face the elastic claw portion 32. 41c slides toward the terminal side.
Then, the end part 41c pushes in the elastic nail | claw part 32, and elastically deforms toward a terminal side.
As a result, the elastic claw portion 32 is further elastically deformed from the state of biting into the outermost shell covering portion 3 toward the terminal side, and the distal end portion 32a of the elastic claw portion 32 is separated from the outermost shell covering portion 3 of the lead wire 1 and leads. Unlock line 1.
That is, by pushing the pushing member 40, the locked state of the lead wire 1 can be released, and the lead wire 1 can be easily removed.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a parallel connection type relay connector.
The connector 10a is a multi-pole type relay connector in which a plurality of lead wire insertion holes 12 are provided, and a connecting portion is disposed in each of them.
A perspective view of the terminal used in this connector is shown in FIG.
The terminals 20a, 20b, and 20c form an outer frame by the conducting portion 21, and the terminals 20a, 20b, and 20c are electrically connected by connecting the terminals with the outer frame.
The conducting portion forming the outer frame of the terminal is provided so as to connect the terminals according to the connection form of the connector. The lead wire is connected between the conducting portion provided in each terminal and the spring-like contact portion 22. By being inserted, it is connected to another lead wire inserted into the terminal.

The example of the relay connector which concerns on this invention is shown, (A) shows a side view, (B) shows sectional drawing. (A) The disassembled perspective view of the lead wire insertion hole part of the connector which concerns on this invention is shown. (B) A cross-sectional end view of the vicinity of the lead wire covering portion storage portion is shown. (A) A retaining spring member is shown. (B) Aa line cross-sectional view is shown. Indicates the connection status of the lead wire to the connector. The state in the vicinity of the lead wire covering portion storage portion before connecting the lead wires is shown, (A) shows a schematic cross-sectional view, and (B) shows a schematic main part perspective view. The state near the lead wire covering portion storage portion to which the lead wire is connected is shown, (A) shows a schematic sectional view, and (B) shows a schematic perspective view of the main part. A state in the vicinity of the lead wire covering portion storage portion in a state where the lead wire is removed is shown, (A) shows a schematic cross-sectional view, and (B) shows a schematic perspective view of a main part. The example which made the relay connector which concerns on this invention the multipolar type is shown. The perspective view of a terminal storage part is shown. An example of a conventional relay connector is shown.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lead wire 2 Lead wire core wire 3 Outer shell covering portion 3a of lead wire Terminal side end portion 4 of outermost shell covering portion Inner covering portion 10 and 10a of lead wire Relay connector 11 Connector housing 12 Lead wire insertion hole 12a Lead wire covering portion storage portion 12b Terminal storage portion 12c Through hole 12d Stepped portion 20, 20a, 20b, 20c Elastic connection terminal 21 Conducting portion 22 Spring-like contact portion 30 Retaining spring member 30a Retaining spring member hole 31 Annular Part 31a Annular part inner edge part 31b Center axis 32 of the annular part Elastic claw part 32a of the spring member for retaining The elastic claw part tip part 40 Pushing member 40a Pushing member hole 41 Pushing member cylinder 41a Restricting part 41b Center of the cylinder Shaft 41c Terminal side end 41d of cylindrical body Inclined portion 42 Gutter portion 50 Ring-shaped locking member 50a Ring-shaped locking member hole 50b Ring Center shaft 50c of the locking member Inner circumferential protrusion 60 of the ring-shaped locking member Rubber bush 60a Rubber bush hole 61 Fin portion 61a Fin portion inclined portion A Lead wire covering portion outer diameter B Pushing member cylindrical inner diameter C Detachment Inscribed circle diameter at the tip of the elastic claw of the spring member

Claims (5)

  In the lead wire connection relay connector, the connector housing of the relay connector has a terminal housing portion for accommodating the elastic connection terminal with the lead wire, a lead wire insertion hole for inserting the lead wire, and an attachment / detachment member for the inserted and connected lead wire. A ring-shaped retaining spring member having an elastic claw portion that elastically deforms along the insertion direction of the lead wire, and an elastic claw portion inserted into the lead wire. A relay connector comprising: a pressing member that presses in a direction and releases the locking of the lead wire.   The lead wire insertion hole is formed in the connector housing of the relay connector, and the lead wire inserted into each lead wire insertion hole can be connected in series or in parallel via the elastic connection terminal. Relay connector.   The elastic claw tip disposed inside the ring-shaped retaining spring member is arranged concentrically with respect to the ring-shaped central axis, and is locked so as to bite into the outer periphery of the covering portion of the lead wire. The relay connector according to claim 1 or 2.   The push-in member consists of a cylindrical cylinder, and by sliding the cylinder in the direction of the central axis, one end of the cylinder presses the elastic claw portion of the spring member for retaining and releases the lock of the lead wire The relay connector according to claim 1, wherein   The hole central axis of the ring-shaped retaining spring member and the hole central axis of the pushing member are coaxially arranged with respect to the central axis of the lead wire insertion hole. A relay connector according to any one of the above.

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